Letter-box for collection and delivery



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

C. H. PIGKARTS. LETTEE B0X EOE COLLECTION AND DELIVERY.

Patented Nov. 10,1891.

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NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL II. PICKARTS, OF LEAVENVORTH, KANSAS.

LETTER-BOX FOR COLLECTIONA AND DELIVERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,733, dated November 10, 1891.

Application tiled May 16, 1891. Serial No. 393,(l15. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL H. Pionniers, of Leavenworth, Leavenworth county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Irnprovements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to mailboxes to be applied to the doors of residences, office-build ings, stores, and various other localities; and the object of my invention is to produce a mail-box which shall be simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive in construction and which can bc used both to receive mailmatter deposited by the postman for the occupants of the building and also to receive mail-matter deposited by the occupants of the building for collection by the postman.

A further object of my invention is to produce a mail-box which shall be so constructed that when the postman inserts the mail-matter to be delivered into the box this act of itself and without any other manipulation of the box causes the mail to be collected to be automatically presented to the postuian.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, l will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my mailbox applied to a door, the view being of the outer side of the box. Fig. 2 is an inner side elevation of the mail-box also in position upon a door. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same on theline 3 Sof Fig. 5. Fig. 4l is a similar sectional view of the saine on the line a 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of inyimproved mail-box in position upon a door, the inner wall or face-plate of the box being removed. Fig. G is a detached perspective view of the collection-slide of the mail-box.

In said drawings, l designates the door of a residence, an oftice, ofiice-building, store, or other similar locality, and 2 designates the casing or housing of my improved letter-box. This casing or housing is of general oblong rectangular form, its front lower part 3, however, extending downwardly aud inwardly and its front upper parta extending upwardly and inwardly, as shown. The inner or rear side of this casing is left open, as shown in Fig. 5, and is closed by a rectangular faceplate 5, which is secured to the inner surface of the door by screws 6 or equivalent devices passing, preferably, through ears 7 of the plate and entering the door. Thelower ends of the sides of the box are formed with shoulders S, which rest against the lower part of an opening 9, formed in the door and corresponding in height and width to similar measurements of the box, the lower margin 10 of the opening being inclined downwardly and inwardly, so as to permit free passage for the mail-matter dropped by the postman. It is obvious that, if desired, the mail natter dropped by the postman may fall into a pouch or other receptacle suitably secured to the in-` ner side of the door, or that such mail-matter may simply fall through the opening 9 and drop upon the iioor of the apartment. In the upper part of the box 2 is placed a slide 11, which is preferably of oblong rectangular form and provided at its ends with two upright pieces 12. This slide is placed horizontallyin the upper part of the box and its end edges 13 work in horizontal grooves 14, extending each from front to rear of the casing or box. At each end of this slide, on thennder surface thereof, is formed a horizontal inverted rack 15, with each of which engages a segment-rack 16. Each of the segment-racks 1G is pivoted, as at 17, to the inner surface ou side of the casing 2 and at its lower end carries an inwardly and downwardly extending arm 1S. To the lower extremity of each of these arms 1S is pivoted-the inner end of a link 19, the front or outer end of which is pivoted between two ears 2O on the lower part of the innersurface of a drop-plate 21. This drop-plate is so connected at its upper edge to the easing 1 as to permit the plate to swing inward away from the delivery-opening Elf-1 at the front of theeasing 2. As shown, this connection is in the form of two U-shaped hangers 22, which pass through the upper ends of ribs 23 of the inner surface of the drop-plate, and also through a horizontal inwardly-ex tending flange 25 at the upper part of the IOO closing the cover 31.

outer side of the casing 1. It is obvious, of course, that any form of hinged connection may be employed in attaching the drop-plate to the front of the casing without departing from the essential spirit of my invention. Upon the upper part of the front of the box or casing 2 is hinged, as at 27, a lid 26, each end ofwhich is connected by a link 28 with the corresponding end of the slide l1. As shown, the outer end of each link 2S is pivotally connected to two ears 29 upon the inf ner surface of the link, and the inner end of each link 28 is pivotally connected to the outer end of a plate 30, riveted or otherwise similarly secured to the outer surface of the corresponding portion l2 of the slide 11. Upon theinner side of the slide ll is hinged, as at 32, a cover 3.1, whieh is arranged to'tnrn nn- Wardly, and thus close an opening at the nnper part of the faeefplate 5. and to also close the inner side of the Vslide l1. 'Ihis cover is preferably provided with a iingerfpiece 33 to faoilitate its opening and closing by the user- Nowwhen the occupant of the building or apartment desires the` postman to take mail-y nilattelahe opens the @over 3l and lays the mailmatter upon the slide ll, generally again Y When the postulan comes to deliver the occupants mail from the post-others, the postman simply pushes thel mail-matter against. the outer eide of the dropfplate 2l and releases the mail-.matter frorn his grasp., so. that the lnailfmatter drops into the apartment or into a receptacle in snch apartment. At the same instant that the postman pushes the mailfinatter against the drop-plate and than Swings it inward the upper part o f the segmentfrack 16. is moved Outward, thns drawing the slide Il outward antornatioally and `Sinnilarly raising the lid 26, SO. as to present the mail-matter which is toJv bev collected. The postulan now simply takes, the mllfmatter from the slide l1 with the hand whioh he need to deliver the mail with, taps uno-n the lid, So. that the latter falls down into closed position, and'ref turns thev slide toits normalposition.

It'will thus, b,e seen that the device is sirnple, durable, neat, and inexpensive in construction, that it is easily operated either by the occupant of the apartment or by the postof the casing, and a pivoted gear connected to thedrop-plate and engaging a rack upon the slide, substantially as set forth.

2. An improved mail-box comprising a suitable casing or housing, a swinging drop-plate located in the front part of said casing, a collection slide er carrier located in the upper part of tlie easing, and pivoted arm conneeted to the olronfplate and engaging the Slide, So as to throw the latter forward when the dropfplate is swung inward, substantially as set forth.

3. An impro ved mailfbox comprising suitable housing or casing, a swinging drop-plate located at the front of the casing, a collectionslide located in the upper partfof the casing, a movable arm connected'to the drop-plate and engaging the slide, so as to throw the same outward when the plate is swung inward,. and a lid pivoted 1113911 the upperpart of the casing'and closing the front of the slide and also connected to said slide, so as to be f automatically opened and elosed thereby, Sub.- stantially as set forth.

4. An improved mailfbox` comprising a suitable housing or casing, a swinging drop-plate located in the lower part of said easing, a. eollectionfslide located in the upper part'of the cas/ing, a movable arm connected to. the dropplate and engaging the Slide, so as to throw the slide forward -when the drop-.plate is swung inward, alid connected to the slide and pivoted upon the upper front part of th'e casing, and a cover hinged upon the inner edge of the slide, substantially 'as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL H. PICKARTS.

Witnesses: J. W. DAWSON,

ADOLF LANGE. 

